Device for repairing automobile body members and the like



Feb- 9,

E. M. ZINKE DEVICE FOR REPAIRING AUTOMOBILE BODY MEMBERS AND THE LIKE Original Filed Dec. 22, 1950 Z Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ERWl/V MAX Z/NKE Feb. 9, 1954 Original Filed Dec. 22, 1950 E. M. ZINKE DEVICE FOR REPAIRING AUTOMOBILE V BODY MEMBERS AND THE LIKE i l QEEI/ K /2 ERW/N MAX Z/N E 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 9, 1954 DEVICE FOR REPAIRING AUTOMOBILE BODY MEMBERS AND THE LIKE Erwin Max Zinke, Oakland, Calif.

Original application December 22, 1950, Serial No. 202,278. Divided and this application December 17, 1952, Serial No. 336,695

3 Claims. (Cl. 287-54) This invention relates to an improved device for repairing automobile body members and the like. This application is a division of my earlierfiled application, Serial Number 202,278, file: December 22, 1950, which was a continuation-inpart of application Serial Number 124,712, filed October 31, 1949, and issued on December 2, 1952, as Patent Number 2,620,011. I

This invention solves the problem of providim clamp members that can grip a variety of surfaces from a variety of different positions and which can rapidly be adapted to these different requirements. This problem has been solved by a novel grip member that is explained below.

These and other features will appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and descriptions are illustrative and are not intended to narrowly limit the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation showing a jack in use with a pair of grip clamps embodying the principles of the present invention. A portion of a dented automobile hood, which is to be straightened, is shown in dotted lines. The grip clamps are identical, but their laws are turned in different directions, as required by the object being gripped.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in perspective of the grip clamp with the jaw set as in the position shown at the left hand side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in perspective of the grip clamp with the jaws set in the position shown at the right hand side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation and in section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view in section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the clamp showing the right angle positions of the jaws. In dotted lines the jaws are shown in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, while the solid lines show the jaws in a position 180 opposite therefrom.

Grip clamp When a part is to be gripped firmly and either pushed or pulled, a very useful feature of this invention is a novel grip clamp which may be used on one or both ends of a jack I0. Fig. 1 shows two identical clamps being used with the jack I0 which is preferably a jack like the one disclosed in the parent application, S. N. 202,278,

filed December 22, 1950. The two clamps areattached to the jack, one at each end, while Figs.

2-6 show the clamp in more details.

In Fig. 1 an automobile body member I 00 has been smashed in, and it is desired to push it back to shape. One gripper clamp IOIa has been threaded on a rod 20, which is extending out the front of the jack I 0. The other gripper clamp IOI has been secured to a tubular extension member I02, which has been threaded into the rear bushing 50 of the jack I0. The jack I0 itself has a body II with a handle 49 fitting in a socket 00 in a yoke arm it which is part of the body I I opposite the upwardly extending portion I2. The jack has a front bushing 53 and a rear bushing 56. The rod 20 is movable through the jack I0 and through the stationary extension I02, so that the distance between the clamps IOI and IOId can be changed by pumping the jack handle.

Figs. 2-6 show the clamp IOI (or its identical clamp IOIa) in various views. Each clamp IOI consists of five pieces: a base piece I03, a pair of jawed clamp arms I04, I05, and a nut and bolt assembly I06, I01.

The base piece I03 is preferably made from aluminum, for lightness. It may have two or more tubular sockets III], III which are preferably at right angles to each other. Both sockets I I0, I I I may be threaded, preferably oversize and overlength with respect to the fitting they receive. In that way the pipe I02 which fits in them may bury its threads and not have a weak portion extending outside the socket. The threads of the bushings 53, 56 may be similarly constructed. The fact that the pair of sockets IIO, II I are at ri ht angles to each other gives great adaptability, making its installation possible in many types of places where one or other of the sockets could not be used.

Beyond the sockets H0 and III, the base iece I03 has a cross-channeled portion II2, adapted to receive the arms I04, I05 in any of three positions. The cross-channeled portion II 2 has two identical faces on its opposite sides. Each face includes a central, unthreaded, stud I I3 and four corner posts H4, H5, H6, and Ill. Two cross channels H8 and H9 are thereby provided, lying between the posts: an axial channel II 8 and a transverse channel I I9.

The arms I04, I05, which are preferably made from spring steel, each have a substantially fiat strap I20 that is adapted to rest on one face of the cross-channeled portion I I2 of the base plate I03. The strap I20 is only slightly narrower 55 than the channels H8, H0 and is perforated at 3 I2I to receive the stud IE3. Each arm I04, I05 has a curved jaw 122 that preferably terminates in a roughened grippin surface I23. Each jaw I22 has a perforation I24 that extends through it at the top of its are. When the jaws I22 are joined together, they are held in gripping position by the bolt I55 passing through the perforations I24 and-fastened by the nut till.

The base I03 and arms I04 and I05 are so adapted that the arms may lie in any one of three positions: axial or transverse to either side. The straps I20 may be held in the axial channels H8 or may be held in either direction in the cross channels H9. In any of these positions, the strap I29 will engage the stud I13 and will also contact the four cornerposts I14, .I I5, HS, and Ill. Sideward thrust will be taken up by the stud H3 and two diagonally opposite corner posts, which turn depending on the direction of thrust.

In operation, the clamp IIlI is threaded on either the .rod 20 or on a fitting I82. Either socket H or III may be used, depending on which is more convenient under the circumstances. anyone of its three possible directions, by loosening thenut I07, placing first one arm I04 over the. studl I3 and positioning it either in the axial channel I I8 (either direction) or in the transverse channel I I9, andthen positioning the otherarm I in the same channel and same direction on the opposite side. Then the nut I0! is tightened on the bolt I06. It is unnecessary to remove the nut I01 completely during this operation; if the nut I0! is simply loosened, the clamp armsIM, I05 are easier to position than if the nut I01 is removed. The clamp jaws I20 are positioned on the two sides of the object to be clamped, and the gripping surfaces I22 are tight- The arms I04, 105 are positioned in ened against it by tightening the nut I01 on the bolt I06. It takes only a few seconds to change the clamp from one channel H8, H0 to the other, or to reverse the direction in channel IIB.

I claim: 7

1. A grip clamp, including in combination: a base piece .having' a socketfor'securingitto another member and having atone extremity a cross-channeled face on each of two opposite sides, each said face having a central stud projecting outwardly:from said face and four corner posts defining two mutually perpendicular channels thereacross; a pair of clamp arms having at one and a strap adapted to fit in said channels, said straphaving a central opening adapted to receive said stud and having a width only slightly smaller than the distance between adjaone is radial thereto, and parallel to said studs.

ERIWIN MAX ZINKE.

References Cited in: the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date H 1,815,598 Stroup July 21, 1931 1,005,377 Garner Apr. 25, 1933 2,453,474 Thurmann ......Nov. 9, 1948 2,530,136 Van Steenbrugghe Nov. 14, 1950 

